The Evolution of Complexity in the Universe

The universe started in a simple initial state, and it will end in a simple final state, with complexity emerging in the middle. It is uncertain whether the current state of the universe is at the peak of complexity, slightly past it, or before it. However, the rate of star formation in the observable universe has been calculated, revealing that we are past the era of peak star formation, which occurred around four or five billion years after the Big Bang. Despite this, the declining star formation rates do not necessarily indicate a decline in complexity.